Weight lifting vs Cardio- How many days a week?
CBC435
Posts: 103 Member
Hello everyone! Curious to know how many times a week do you lift and do you have a set day just for lifting? Or do you pair it with cardio too? I am doing cardio at least 6 times a week and sometimes 2-3 hours a day. I haven't been proactive on the weight lifting and really need to start adding it in. Also, do you work specific areas only day by day or just the same full routine each time? And lastly, are you stretching before and after you lift?
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I lift 3x a week. I do HIIT 2x a week...but that is new since 2014...prior to that I just lifted.
I do a progressive load program Strong lifts 5x5, which is 2 workouts that alternate and they are compound movements so they work lots of muscles all at once.
Workout A is Squats, Bench press and Rows
Workout B is Squats Overhead press and deadlift
No I don't stretch I do warm up sets, 2 with empty bar, 2 with small weights.0 -
I lift 3x a week. I do HIIT 2x a week...but that is new since 2014...prior to that I just lifted.
I do a progressive load program Strong lifts 5x5, which is 2 workouts that alternate and they are compound movements so they work lots of muscles all at once.
Workout A is Squats, Bench press and Rows
Workout B is Squats Overhead press and deadlift
No I don't stretch I do warm up sets, 2 with empty bar, 2 with small weights.
Can you tell me what HIIT is?? Haven't heard of this! And are you drinking any protein shakes or using pre-workout too before you lift? I've heard some people don't often use it (especially women) but curious if you do.0 -
I do 3 days weight training and 3 days cardio broken up as every other day. The 7th day I rest or sometimes do cardio. I use coffee as a pre-workout sometimes but more often than not I just eat a lot of carbs earlier in the day. I try to get all my protein though my food but I do use protein powder if I don't hit my protein that day.0
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The only real reasons to drink protein shakes are: A) you have trouble meeting your protein goal;
if you need something quick for nourishment; C) you simply want to. There's nothing magical about protein shakes. If you don't need/want them, don't drink them.
And yes - since you are new to strength training - like Stef mentioned, StrongLifts or Starting Strength are good programs to start with. AllPro's beginner routine is good, too. There's at least one group here on MFP for all three of those programs. While many people here are familiar with those, I'd recommend - in addition to going to each website (AllPro's is by a bodybuilding.com user, so it doesn't have one specific website) - looking at the MFP groups for additional info.0 -
I do 3 days weight training and 3 days cardio broken up as every other day. The 7th day I rest or sometimes do cardio. I use coffee as a pre-workout sometimes but more often than not I just eat a lot of carbs earlier in the day. I try to get all my protein though my food but I do use protein powder if I don't hit my protein that day.
Gotcha! Thanks!0 -
The only real reasons to drink protein shakes are: A) you have trouble meeting your protein goal; if you need something quick for nourishment; C) you simply want to. There's nothing magical about protein shakes. If you don't need/want them, don't drink them.
And yes - since you are new to strength training - like Stef mentioned, StrongLifts or Starting Strength are good programs to start with. AllPro's beginner routine is good, too. There's at least one group here on MFP for all three of those programs. While many people here are familiar with those, I'd recommend - in addition to going to each website (AllPro's is by a bodybuilding.com user, so it doesn't have one specific website) - looking at the MFP groups for additional info.
I drink protein shakes on the days that I'm doing a lot of cardio but I notice my boyfriend (who is all lifter!) drinks one after he's done lifting. I'm asking all of you instead of him because he's lifting every single day with minimal cardio! So, I am curious to what women do and so forth. I will definitely look into those sites! Thanks again0 -
I do weights 4 days/week and cardio 1-2 times and one of those is playing sports, not cardio exercise for the sake of cardio.0
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Sorry so many questions here! Haha on average how long are you in the gym lifting? One hour? 2?0
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I currently lift 6 days a week and don't do any cardio. I don't enjoy cardio and it really doesn't fit with my goals. I do play some sports, at times (basketball or indoor soccer). How much you do of either is going to depend on your goals and your enjoyment level.
Pre-workouts are not necessary, but I do take one (C4 Extreme). I like the boost of energy I get from it. Also, protein drinks aren't necessary unless you are having trouble meeting your protein needs from whole foods.
I don't stretch pre workout. Warm up sets at lighter weights to get warmed up. I will stretch on off days.
Gym time can range from 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.0 -
cardio is just a calorie burner. Weightlifting burns calories and changes body composition.0
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I do body pump 3x a week Do minimum 500 push ups 5x a week so thats my strength.. Spin, Insanity, cardio-kick
take up the other days I do not do pump. .0 -
It depends and I kind of go in seasons. During the spring (March, April, May) I am training for a cycling endurance event...so I spend a good chunk of time on my bike. During these three months I lift full body and heavy only 2x weekly because anymore than that and I don't have legs to cycle and I can't recover.
During the summer (June, July, August) I hit the gym pretty hard and do a 4x weekly split routine...it's summer and hot and while I'll get out on my bike a couple times per week to just ride around a bit, I don't want to be training in the heat...I'd rather be in the gym with the AC pumping some iron and throwing a little swimming into the mix.
In the fall (Sept, Oct) I'm doing cyclocross racing so I'll be back on my bike more, but less endurance type stuff and more sprinting type of stuff. I haven't figured what my lifting routine will be yet for this...either a 3x weekly split or a 2x weekly full body...I think a 3x weekly full body would leave my legs dead for racing.
In the winter (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb) I will go back into a 4x weekly split routine...cold out and I'd rather hit the weight room hard than be running around out in the cold. It's also a good time to work on building some muscle as winter tends to be eating time as well...so a good muscle bulk will be in order.
Whatever you go with, I highly recommend following a tried and true routine. Starting Strength and SL 5x5 are excellent.0 -
Sorry so many questions here! Haha on average how long are you in the gym lifting? One hour? 2?
40 mins for lifting 4 days/week. The one cardio day would be 25 mins, sports 1 hour0 -
In the winter when I can't (or won't) ride my bike outdoors....lift 6 days a week, cardio 4 days a week. After daylight savings time, cardio is probably 5 days a week but 2-4 hours per, and lift 4 days a week.0
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i am a believer that the weights have a greater long term benefit for body change than the cardio but that is based on my own personal results.
m - legs - quads
tu - chest/back
w - hiit/core
th - legs - hamstrings
fr - shoulders/arms
sat/sun - rest.
1hr to 1:15 max for the workout. weight days are 4 weeks heavy weights low reps followed by 2 weeks medium weights medium reps followed by 2 weeks light weights high reps, then start over. hiit training is 20 min, core training is 30 min.
protein target is 1g/lb of bodyweight and i use protein shakes to help hit this number. good luck...0 -
Cool! You guys are so informative! So I'm noticing some people are alternating and I thought the seasons comment was way interesting and will have to look more into that. The only real lifting I have done was for physical therapy for my ankle due to a cheerleading injury and experienced pain and weakness when I would dance so that's really all the knowledge I have. All we did for my legs/ankles were on the machines. So my next questions is, how are you counting your calories that you do burn lifting? Some of you mentioned lifting outweighs cardio for your bodies and just curious to how many you are burning. I am all about cardio and it's my favorite exercise plus I'm a Zumba instructor so I won't be ditching the cardio solely for weights either. But curious to know the numbers y'all are pulling!0
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I lift 2-3 days a week this winter, in the spring I will be lifting 4 days a week. I don't do cardio much.0
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Weight lifting calories are hard to determine. The best thing to do is to play with your calorie counts and fine tune it to your needs.0
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Currently, I lift at least 4 times a week, different body parts each day (Back/Biceps, Chest/Triceps, Shoulders/Traps, Legs). My only cardio consists of tennis, usually at least 2 times a week, much more than that when I can. My warmups consist of a few sets of light weights, though I do usually do static leg stretches at least a few times a week in the gym between exercises. (need to do more stretching (or yoga), since I'm getting a bit more stiff as I get lift more).
I take a preworkout (Pre Jym) before workouts, and a protein/weight gainer shake after working out (and usually first thing in the morning too, since I'm currently trying to gain weight. Once I'm doing trying to gain weight, I will switch programs and begin a pure progressive strength routine, probably something like Stronglifts 5x5.
Obviously, I use MFP to track my calories, though I rarely track my exercise calories. However, since my weight gain may be beginning to stall, I might have to start eating back those calories (though I'm already at 3500 calories a day).
Here's a chart of my lift stats for the first 6 weeks of my current bulking program, along with a few notes
Strength is actually my primary goal. The only reason I'm bulking is because I'm doing this 12 Week Transformation Challenge (not that I mind a bit of extra muscle for aesthetic reasons). I'm doing the Jim Stoppani 12 Week Shortcut to Size Program (can be found on bodybuilding.com).
A few notes on the strength stuff - all stats are "calculated maxes" (except for week 4 deadlift). I use JEFIT to track my workouts which calculates the 1RM.
You may notice that squats are rather up and down. In Week 3, I began squatting to parallel which is why there is a big drop there (I've had 4 knee surgeries, so have always been hesitant to go to parallel). In Week 5, I felt a strange pulling sensation in my lower abs, so I took it really easy that week. I've since been working my core more, since I suspect that my lower abs (TVA specifically) might be weak.
Also, there is a big drop in leg extensions in Week 6. That is because I switched to single leg extensions since my gym's machine only goes to 170lbs (not heavy enough for two legs anymore)0 -
Bump0
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Warm up on the treadmill for about 20-25 mins then follow with heavy lifting-compound lifts (different target area daily) for about 30 mins.
5 x per week
I hate cardio but I am doing my first 5K this summer so I need to work up to that. Come summer no more dreadmill.0 -
Warm up on the treadmill for about 20-25 mins then follow with heavy lifting-compound lifts (different target area daily) for about 30 mins.
5 x per week
Interesting! So you only do 30 minutes but 5 times a week. That sounds like something I may look into to start out with. Are you seeing the results with definition? Or more weight loss?? I am ultimately trying to lose more weight and want to gain definition while I do and I hear lifting helps kick start it all too.0 -
Cool! You guys are so informative! So I'm noticing some people are alternating and I thought the seasons comment was way interesting and will have to look more into that. The only real lifting I have done was for physical therapy for my ankle due to a cheerleading injury and experienced pain and weakness when I would dance so that's really all the knowledge I have. All we did for my legs/ankles were on the machines. So my next questions is, how are you counting your calories that you do burn lifting? Some of you mentioned lifting outweighs cardio for your bodies and just curious to how many you are burning. I am all about cardio and it's my favorite exercise plus I'm a Zumba instructor so I won't be ditching the cardio solely for weights either. But curious to know the numbers y'all are pulling!
My calories are calculated with activity level factored in. So, it is different from MFP calculations where I wouldn't need to enter activity and eat those calories back.
However, you can enter strength training under the cardio section and just put in the amount of time spent. Although, it is somewhat inaccurate.0 -
I lift on M-W-F.
Cardio on Tu-Th-Sa.0 -
Cool! You guys are so informative! So I'm noticing some people are alternating and I thought the seasons comment was way interesting and will have to look more into that. The only real lifting I have done was for physical therapy for my ankle due to a cheerleading injury and experienced pain and weakness when I would dance so that's really all the knowledge I have. All we did for my legs/ankles were on the machines. So my next questions is, how are you counting your calories that you do burn lifting? Some of you mentioned lifting outweighs cardio for your bodies and just curious to how many you are burning. I am all about cardio and it's my favorite exercise plus I'm a Zumba instructor so I won't be ditching the cardio solely for weights either. But curious to know the numbers y'all are pulling!
My calories are calculated with activity level factored in. So, it is different from MFP calculations where I wouldn't need to enter activity and eat those calories back.
However, you can enter strength training under the cardio section and just put in the amount of time spent. Although, it is somewhat inaccurate.
Hmmm..yeah that's what I've noticed. I don't eat the calories I burn but I do like to track what it is that I'm burning and keep a record for my weight loss if that makes sense. Cause I doubt a fitbit would work, right?0 -
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I lift M, W, F, with less than 15 minutes on the arc trainer afterward, except leg day (Friday) because I can barely make it to my car. T, Th I do training for 5K, and Saturday I'm at home, so I'll walk with the kids or do a dvd. Sunday rest. I do warm-up sets, but I don't always remember to stretch afterward. I want to start doing stretching or yoga on Sundays, but I always forget to do it.
ETA that I use a heart rate monitor to measure calorie burns for cardio, lifting I log 1 calorie, because I don't know what my burn is, and a heart rate monitor isn't very useful for non-steady state cardio.0 -
CallMeCupcake- That's the other thing I need to do and that is TAKE A REST DAY! But I like that you take one day too to do a walk or DVD so maybe I will try mixing with that too. Thanks!0
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Hmmm..yeah that's what I've noticed. I don't eat the calories I burn but I do like to track what it is that I'm burning and keep a record for my weight loss if that makes sense. Cause I doubt a fitbit would work, right?
That is correct. The FitBit isn't going to give an accurate calorie expenditure for strength training.0 -
I lift 3x a week. I do HIIT 2x a week...but that is new since 2014...prior to that I just lifted.
I do a progressive load program Strong lifts 5x5, which is 2 workouts that alternate and they are compound movements so they work lots of muscles all at once.
Workout A is Squats, Bench press and Rows
Workout B is Squats Overhead press and deadlift
No I don't stretch I do warm up sets, 2 with empty bar, 2 with small weights.
Can you tell me what HIIT is?? Haven't heard of this! And are you drinking any protein shakes or using pre-workout too before you lift? I've heard some people don't often use it (especially women) but curious if you do.
HIIT=High intensity interval training usually from Fitnessblender
and no I don't use protien powder much...esp this winter. I have found I can get it in with just my regular meals...
Now this summer if I take up the smooties again yes I will use powder in my smootie and protien milk that is low calorie.
As for when I get almost all my protien in prior to my workout as I workout after work...before supper.
I am finding my workouts are about 60-90mins long on lifting days but that includes my rest periods as well.
HIIT takes 15-25mins.0
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